Seven women's soccer players earn All-ODAC accolades

Nov 07, 2018

Forest, Va. -- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference-champion University of Lynchburg women's soccer team saw seven Hornets named All-ODAC Wednesday morning, the conference announced with its full list of honorees.

Three Lynchburg players earned first-team all-league nods, with senior forward Caitlin Mertens (Succasunna, N.J.) taking the ODAC player of the year and Hornets head coach Dr. Todd Olsen earning the league's top coach award.

It is the 12th-straight season Lynchburg placed at least six players on the all-conference squads.

The Hornets won the conference championship and earned an NCAA Division III tournament bid. Lynchburg will play host to the first two rounds of the national tournament this coming weekend, starting with Saturday's first-round match against USA South Conference champion Piedmont.

Mertens, who currently leads the conference in goals with 26, is a three-time All-ODAC player. Her nine assists rank third in the league, and she ranks in the top five nationally in goals, points, and game-winning goals headed into NCAA tournament play.

Jakubek repeats her first-team honor as another of the top offensive threats in the ODAC, leading the league and ranking sixth across Division III in assists (15) at present moment.

Waring becomes a first-time all-conference player after moving from wing to center back prior to her senior season. She anchored a Hornet defense that allowed just 14 goals in 22 matches so far this year.

Olds returned to form in her fifth collegiate year after missing the past two due to injury. A second-team All-ODAC honoree in 2015, she repeated the effort thanks to a 17-goal senior campaign, a mark that ranks 27th nationally.

Cooke became a two-time all-conference pick after helping the Hornets' offense lead the league in goals. She scored twice and assisted four other Lynchburg strikes this season.

Rombough, a first-team all-league pick as a junior, secured the holding midfield position again this year.

Royer, who moved from midfield to defense late in her junior season, enjoyed a sparkling campaign in her final collegiate season.

Olsen, the 25th-year Lynchburg head coach, earned his 10th ODAC coach of the year award by way of his team's 18-2-2 record and 16th conference championship.

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